Vehicle inspection enforcement system and method offering multiple data transmissions on the road

ABSTRACT

Abstract of Disclosure 
     A vehicle inspection, diagnosing and maintenance system and method of inspecting, diagnosing and maintaining a vehicle includes providing a vehicle unit and a communications network.  The vehicle unit receives vehicle data, such as exhaust emission data, and includes a wireless communication transceiver and a control for controlling the wireless communication transceiver.  The control includes memory for storing vehicle data from the vehicle diagnostic system.  A communication network provides wireless communication with the vehicle unit.  The communication network is made up of a plurality of geographically dispersed generally stationary wireless communication transceivers.  The vehicle unit communicates the exhaust emission data in its memory to a stationary transceiver in the vicinity of the vehicle.

Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0001] This application claims priority from United States provisionalpatent application Serial No. 60/345,524, filed on January 3, 2002, thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

Background of Invention

[0002] Mandated by USEPA and other government agencies throughout theworld, OBD II (EOBD in Europe) was primarily developed for monitoringthe vehicle's emission control systems by the Engine Control Module(ECM), which will typically display a general warning to the operator(the check engine light, or Malfunction Indicator Light-MIL) when afault is detected. It also provides a means by which a mechanic orvehicle inspector can access engine parameters, readiness status andspecific fault codes related to engine hardware that can affectemissions and engine performance. The OBD II system is accessible via astandardized communications link and cable, and a microprocessor devicethat implements various standardized communications protocol. Suchdevice is known as a scan tool. Data from on-board sensors can beaccessed by the scan tool at a rate of up to 50 Hz.

[0003] The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) iscurrently taking a very clear stand in favor of OBD II (On-boardDiagnostic) testing for vehicle emissions inspections, requiring allnon-attainment areas to introduce OBD II testing for all vehicles(gasoline and diesel powered), model year 1996 and newer in lieu oftailpipe testing. OBD II interfaces for all vehicles model year 1996 andnewer are standardized to allow for communication with an externalmicroprocessor-based system. Canada has adopted OBD II standardizationfor all vehicles 1998 and newer. A very similar international system,called EOBD, is required for model year 1998 and newer vehicles inEurope. Similar systems are currently being placed in vehicles in Asianmarkets as well.

[0004] Current new and existing vehicle emission inspection programstypically all follow the following procedure:

[0005] 1. The motorist drives to an inspection station when thevehicle's emission inspection is due.

[0006] 2. The vehicle enters a dedicated inspection station.

[0007] 3. The inspection station may charge a per test fee to themotorist.

[0008] 4. The inspector identifies the vehicle (bar code, manually,etc.).

[0009] 5. The inspector connects the OBD II scan tool to the vehicle'sData Link Connector (DLC) and performs the OBD download according to EPAand program regulations.

[0010] 6. The inspector disconnects the scan tool from the vehicle.

[0011] 7. The inspection results are logged, a VIR may be issued and thedata may automatically be transmitted to a centralized databasetypically through a modem.

[0012] Current vehicle emission inspections are time consuming for themotorist, and expensive (rates vary between $15.00 to $25.00 and moreper test). Therefore, inspections are only performed annually orbiennially in order to reduce the burden for the motorist to a minimum.Vehicle performance and compliance between two inspections is not knownand cannot be tracked.

Summary of Invention

[0013] The present invention addresses the disadvantages resulting fromcurrent inspection programs. The invention has the capability ofproviding much more data than is presently available to enforcingauthority, such as authority charged with enforcing vehicle pollutioncompliance, as well as reducing cost and increasing convenience to theconsumer. While the present invention is useful in enforcing compliancewith vehicle emission regulations, it may be useful in processingvehicle data other than vehicle exhaust emission parameters in areaswithout emission testing requirements.

[0014] A vehicle inspection system and method of inspecting a vehicle,according to an aspect of the invention, includes providing a vehicleunit and a communications network. The vehicle unit receives vehicledata and has a wireless communication transceiver and a control forcontrolling the wireless communication transceiver. The control includesmemory for storing vehicle data from the vehicle diagnostic system. Acommunication network provides wireless communication with the vehicleunit. The communication network is made up of a plurality ofgeographically dispersed generally stationary wireless communicationtransceivers. The vehicle unit communicates the vehicle data in itsmemory to a stationary transceiver in the vicinity of the vehicle.

[0015] The vehicle data may include exhaust emission parameters. Thevehicle unit may be an adapter that is configured to connect with adiagnostic port of the vehicle diagnostic system for receiving thevehicle data. The communication network may provide two-way wirelesscommunication with the vehicle unit. In this manner, one of thestationary transceivers may activate the vehicle wireless communicationtransceiver when the vehicle is in the vicinity of that stationarytransceiver to communicate the vehicle data to that stationarytransceiver. The communication network may include a network connectionat the stationary wireless communication transceivers with a wide areanetwork, such as a global network, or the like. This provides forretrieving data from the stationary wireless communication transceiver.The wide area network provides access to the retrieved data at locationsremote from the stationary transceivers.

[0016] The communication network may further include cameras with thestationary transceivers. The cameras are operable to capture images ofvehicles communicating the exhaust emission data. The communicationnetwork may include a host computer system on the wide area network thatis operative to receive data from the stationary transceivers. Thecommunication network may further include a database on the wide areanetwork for storing historical vehicle data from the vehicle unit.Current vehicle data may be compared with historical exhaust emissiondata to determine if the vehicle is operating outside of normaloperation. Environmental authority may be provided access to thedatabase for compliance verification. Additionally, a vehicle owner,such as an individual owner or a vehicle fleet operator, may be providedaccess to the database for vehicle performance monitoring.

[0017] A unique vehicle identification code may be provided wherein thevehicle code is transmitted with the vehicle data. The vehicle wirelesscommunication transceiver may communicate auxiliary data, in addition tothe other vehicle data in the memory, to the stationary transceiver. Thenetwork connection may include at least one chosen from a high-speedinstalled connection, a wireless connection, such as a cellularconnection, or a satellite connection. The control in the vehicle unitmay be programmed through the vehicle transceiver with code receivedfrom the stationary transceivers. The communication network may trackthe geographic location of the vehicle unit.

[0018] These and other objects, advantages and features of thisinvention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0019]Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle exhaust emission inspectionsystem and method, according to the invention;

[0020]Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a vehicle unit;

[0021]Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating communication between astationary unit and a vehicle unit;

[0022] Figs 4a and 4b are flowcharts of a control program at a vehicleunit; and

[0023] Figs 5a and 5b are flowcharts of a control program at astationary unit.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[0024] Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodimentsdepicted therein, a vehicle exhaust emission inspection system 10includes a vehicle unit 12 positioned within a vehicle 14 and acommunication network 16 for wireless communication, shown at 18, withvehicle unit 12 (Fig. 1). Communication network 16 is made up of aplurality of geographically dispersed generally stationary units 20,each having a wireless communication transceiver, such as a two-waytransceiver. Vehicle unit 12 communicates with a stationary unit 20 thatis in the vicinity of the vehicle. Generally stationary units 20 may bepositioned at various locations including airports, tollbooths, mallsand other publicly accessible areas along roadways. Communicationbetween the vehicle unit and the stationary unit may be by one ofvarious wireless techniques, such as radio frequency (RF) techniques,and may utilize particular commercially available protocols such asBluetooth, or the like. The hardware elements used to implement thestationary units and the vehicle units, such as the controls and thetransceivers, are conventional and within information available to thoseskilled in the art.

[0025] Vehicle unit 12 includes a wireless communication transceiver 22,such as a two-way transceiver, and a control, such as amicroprocessor-based control 24, for controlling communicationtransceiver 22. Control 24 includes memory 26, such as a flash memory,for storing vehicle exhaust emission data from a vehicle diagnosticsystem 28. Such diagnostic systems are conventional with modern vehiclesand provide various vehicle operating data including vehicle speed,various engine parameters, and various exhaust emission parameters. Inthe illustrative embodiment, vehicle diagnostic system 28 is illustratedas an on-board digital (OBD) II computer system, although otherdiagnostic systems are available.

[0026] Vehicle unit 12 may include an adapter 30 in the form of a readercircuit configured to connect with vehicle diagnostic system 28, such asthrough a diagnostic port, or vehicle diagnostic link connector (DLC),for receiving at least exhaust emission data from diagnostic system 28.Such reader circuits are well known in the art and are commerciallyavailable in various diagnostic scan tools. Microprocessor 24 issuescommands to the adapter 30 for it to issue commands to and receive datafrom the vehicle diagnostic system 28. Memory 26 stores relevant data,which may include vehicle exhaust emission parameters, for subsequenttransmission to communication network 26, as will be explained in moredetail below. Vehicle unit 12 is powered through a connection with avehicle power source 32 which may be a separate connection or may be aconnection through the vehicle diagnostic link connector (DLC). In thismanner, vehicle unit 12 is powered whenever the vehicle is running. Whenthe vehicle is powered up, vehicle data is stored in memory 26. When thevehicle is powered on, control 24 may check to ensure that the adapteris on the same vehicle by comparing current and old data. In theillustrative embodiment, vehicle unit 12 is adapted to be connected withthe vehicle diagnostic link connector and, therefore, may be installedin existing vehicles. However, the invention comprehends incorporatingvehicle unit 12 in the manufacturing of a vehicle.

[0027] Stationary unit 20 includes a wireless transceiver 34 forwireless communication 18 with vehicle unit 12 and a control system 36for controlling transceiver 34. When a vehicle unit 12 is in thevicinity of stationary unit 20, vehicle unit 12 communicates data, suchas vehicle exhaust emission parameters, via wireless communication 18 tothat stationary unit 20. To assist this function, stationary unit 20 mayserve as a beacon to activate a vehicle unit 12 in its vicinity totransmit its data. This may be accomplished by the two-way wirelesscommunication capability of stationary unit 20. Therefore, a stationaryunit 20 may repetitively send out a wireless beacon signal, which isreceived by a vehicle unit 12 in the vicinity of that stationary unit.In response to the wireless beacon signal, the vehicle unit 12 transmitsvehicle data obtained from the vehicle diagnostic system and stored inmemory26, via wireless communication 18 to that stationary unit 20. Theuse of transceiver 34 to emit a beacon signal may minimize therequirement for communication regulatory controls and facilitateswireless communication 18 with vehicle unit 12 without recurringcommunication charges as may occur with a cellular system, or the like.

[0028] Stationary unit 20 may include an image capture device 38, suchas a camera, in order to capture images of the vehicle 14 whose vehicleunit 12 is communicating exhaust emission data via wirelesscommunication 18. The images may be still or may be video images of thevehicle and may serve the purpose of providing additional vehicleauthentication, if required. Vehicle identification may include vehicleoutline, vehicle color, structural details, and the like. License plateinformation could also be captured. Communication network 16 may includea network connection 40 with a wide area network, 42, such as a globalnetwork such as the Internet or other such network. Network connection40 may be via a high-speed installed connection, such as cable, DSL, T1,or the like, or may be a wireless connection, such as a cellularconnection, or may be a satellite connection, or the like. Thisconnection with wide area network 42 allows data from each stationaryunit 20 to be retrieved remotely at locations remote from the stationaryunits 20. Retrieving data from stationary units 20 may be done in realtime or through batch processing.

[0029] Such remote retrieving may be in the form of a host computersystem (HCS) 44 consisting of an enterprise network environment made upof one or more servers. Such HCS may provide a computing environmentthat is scalable to be used for vehicle fleets or geographical regions,such as city, states, or nations, or the like. Host computer system 44may support a database 46 of historical vehicle data of vehicle 14, aswell as other vehicles utilizing a vehicle unit 12. In this manner, whencurrent vehicle data is retrieved from vehicle unit 12 via wirelesscommunication 18, HCS 44 may compare the current vehicle data with thehistorical vehicle data for the vehicle. HCS 44 may utilize thiscomparison to determine if the vehicle is operating outside of normaloperation as disclosed in detail in commonly assigned InternationalApplication Publication No. WO 01/86576, published on November 15, 2001,entitled MONITORING OF VEHICLE HEALTH BASED ON HISTORICAL INFORMATION,the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety byreference.

[0030] In addition, a government computer 47, incorporating anenvironmental protection database, may utilize vehicle exhaust emissiondata retrieved via wireless communication 18 and stationary unit 20 viaglobal network 42 in order to determine compliance of the vehicle 14with exhaust emission regulations. In this manner, the government mayreceive many data points from a vehicle, rather than once every one ortwo years as with conventional exhaust emission inspections.

[0031] Other users may utilize the data retrieved from the stationaryunits 20. By way of example, a vehicle owner, such as an individualowner or a fleet operator 48, may monitor vehicle data retrieved fromunit 12 in order to monitor vehicle performance and identify vehiclesthat require maintenance. Additionally, communication network 16 mayprovide the ability to track the geographic location of unit 14 whichmay also be of interest to fleet operator 48.

[0032] Rather than utilizing separate access points 47 and 48, varioususers including the government, vehicle fleet operators and individualvehicle owners may be provided selective access to database 46 at HCS44. Access to these various parties may be via a personal web page foreach user that allows restricted access to that user as well as requiresproper verification of the identification of that user. In this manner,by way of example, an individual vehicle owner may have access tovehicle data for that owner's vehicle and a fleet operator can haveaccess to the data pertaining to the vehicles in that fleet.Governmental authorities may have a more global access to all recordsfor the appropriate jurisdiction. However, such authority may berestricted from various information, such as account information, whichwill be discussed below, and the like.

[0033] Vehicle unit 12 may additionally be assigned a unique vehicleidentification code. This unique vehicle identification code may betransmitted along with the vehicle data to the stationary unit. With theability to uniquely identify the vehicle unit making the transmission,auxiliary data may also be transmitted along with the vehicle exhaustemission data for other purposes. By way of example, the auxiliary datamay be utilized to perform automatic banking transactions pertaining touser operation of system 10, such as with an institution, illustrated asa bank 50. Such access may be for the purpose of charging the user foruse of the system, such as on a transactional basis, including testfees, subscription fees, and the like. Other auxiliary data may beutilized for commercial applications, such as EZ-pass and othertollbooth-type applications, paying for food at take-out windows offast-food restaurants, and the like. The ability to carry out suchtransaction is made possible by the use of a unique identification codethat is matched to a particular vehicle. The personal web page set upwith HCS for each user may also provide tools for managing the accountset up for that user.

[0034] Inspection system 10 may incorporate other useful features. Byway of example, communication network 16 may download, through wirelesscommunication 18 to vehicle unit 12, code that may be used to programthe vehicle unit 12. Additionally, self-testing may be incorporated intothe inspection system in order to provide diagnostics for determiningthat the vehicle unit is properly operating. However, system 10 is notlimited to exhaust emission inspections. It may be useful for generaldiagnostics and maintenance of vehicles. By way of example, the vehicleowner may be notified automatically, such as by E-mail if the owner'svehicle data is out of specification. All of this can be accomplished ina fully automated manner without any effort on behalf of the owner.Thus, the present invention provides a full, self-servicepaperless-based system.

[0035] Advantageously, inspection system 10 may perform vehicle exhaustemission inspections without manual intervention. Not only does thisminimize the cost of determining compliance, but reduces inconvenienceto the driver. Advantageously, inspection system 10 may be fieldretrofitted into existing vehicles thereby extending the advantage of adata collection system to older vehicles. Such a retrofit solution maybe financed, for example, by incentives provided by the GovernmentCompliance Agency.

[0036] An example of communication between stationary unit 20 and avehicle unit 12 is illustrated in Fig 3. Stationary unit 20 sends out,repetitively, a beacon 56 during a Beacon Slot. When the vehicle iswithin range of the beacon, the vehicle unit responds during a SessionSlot with a BACK signal 58. The stationary unit then responds by sendinga RBACK signal 60, which identifies which vehicle data the stationaryunit wishes to receive. The vehicle unit responds by sending variousdata packets 62a, 62b of vehicle data. If the data is successfullyreceived by the stationary unit, using conventional error checkingtechniques, an acknowledge signal 64 is sent. In the illustrativeembodiment, the range of transmission of the stationary unit is 250meters, but a greater or lesser range may be used.

[0037] Operation of the vehicle unit is set forth in more detail in Figs4a and 4b. Upon power-up at 68, the unit is initialized at 70 andattempts are made to receive a beacon at 72. Once a beacon is received,the vehicle unit synchronizes with the beacon at 74 and 76. The vehicleunit then sends a BACK signal at 78, switches to a receive mode at 80and looks for the RBACK signal at 82. After a number of attempts (84,86) communication is ended at 88. Once the RBACK signal is received, theunit is switched to transmitting at 90, packets 62a, 62b are sent at 92and the unit is switched to receiving at 94 to look for the acknowledgesignal at 96 and 98. After a number of attempts at 102, communication isterminated at 104. If acknowledge is received at 98, communication isterminated at 100.

[0038] Operation of the stationary unit is set forth in more detail inFigs 5a and 5b. After power-up at 112 and initialization at 114, thebeacon 56 is repetitively transmitted at 116. The unit then switches toa receive mode at 118 and waits at 120 for a BACK signal (122, 124,126). Once received, the unit switches to a transmit mode at 128 andsends an RBACK signal at 130. The unit then switches to a receive modeat 132 and receives, at 134, data packets sent by the vehicle unit. Theyare checked for validity at 140 and either an acknowledge signal is sent(142, 144, 150) or a non-acknowledge signal is sent (146, 148, 150).

[0039] Changes and modifications in the specifically describedembodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles ofthe invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw including the Doctrine of Equivalents.

Claims
 1. A vehicle inspection system, comprising: a vehicle unitcomprising a vehicle wireless communication transceiver and a controlfor controlling said wireless communication transceiver, said controlincluding memory for storing vehicle data including exhaust emissionparameters from a vehicle diagnostic system; and a communication networkfor two-way wireless communication with said vehicle unit, saidcommunication network made up of a plurality of geographically dispersedgenerally stationary wireless communication transceivers, wherein one ofsaid stationary transceivers activates said vehicle wirelesscommunication transceiver when in a vicinity of that stationarytransceiver to communicate vehicle data in said memory to thatstationary transceiver.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein saidcommunication network including network connection at said stationarywireless communication transceivers with a wide area network, said widearea network retrieving vehicle data from said stationary wirelesscommunication transceivers and providing access to the retrieved vehicledata at locations remote from said stationary transceivers.
 3. Thesystem of claim 2 wherein said communication network includes a hostcomputer system on said wide area network operative to receive data fromsaid stationary transceivers and a database for storing historicalvehicle data from said vehicle unit.
 4. The system of claim 3 whereincurrent vehicle data is compared with historical vehicle data todetermine if the vehicle is operating outside of normal operation. 5.The system of claim 1 wherein environmental authority is provided accessto said communication network for compliance verification.
 6. The systemof claim 1 wherein a vehicle owner is provided access to saidcommunication network for vehicle performance monitoring.
 7. The systemof claim 1 including a unique vehicle identification code, wherein saididentification code is transmitted with the vehicle data to thatstationary transceiver.
 8. The system of claim 6 wherein said vehicledata includes auxiliary data in addition to the exhaust emissionparameters.
 9. The system of claim 2 wherein said network connectioncomprises at least one chosen from a high speed installed connection, awireless connection and a satellite connection.
 10. The system of claim1 wherein said control is programmable through said vehicle transceiverwith code received from said stationary transceivers.
 11. The system ofclaim 1 wherein said communication network tracks the geographiclocation of said vehicle unit.
 12. The system of claim 1 wherein saidcommunication network includes cameras with said stationary transceiversoperable to capture images of vehicles communicating exhaust emissiondata.
 13. A vehicle inspection system, comprising: a vehicle unitcomprising an adapter configured to connect with a vehicle diagnosticport of a vehicle diagnostic system for receiving vehicle data includingexhaust emission parameters, a vehicle wireless communicationtransceiver and a control for controlling said adapter and said wirelesscommunication transceiver, said control including memory for storingvehicle data from the vehicle diagnostic system; and a communicationnetwork for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle unit, saidcommunication network made up of a plurality of geographically dispersedgenerally stationary wireless communication transceivers, wherein saidvehicle wireless communication transceiver communicates vehicle data insaid memory to a stationary transceiver in a vicinity of that saidvehicle unit.
 14. The system of claim 13 wherein said communicationnetwork including network connection at said stationary wirelesscommunication transceivers with a wide area network, said wide areanetwork retrieving vehicle data from said stationary wirelesscommunication transceivers and providing access to the retrieved vehicledata at locations remote from said stationary transceivers.
 15. Thesystem of claim 14 wherein said communication network includes a hostcomputer system on said wide area network operative to receive data fromsaid stationary transceivers and a database for storing historicalvehicle data from said vehicle unit.
 16. The system of claim 15 whereincurrent vehicle data is compared with historical vehicle data todetermine if the vehicle is operating outside of normal operation. 17.The system of claim 13 wherein environmental authority is providedaccess to said communication network for compliance verification. 18.The system of claim 13 wherein a vehicle owner is provided access tosaid communication network for vehicle performance monitoring.
 19. Thesystem of claim 13 including a unique vehicle identification code,wherein said identification code is transmitted with the vehicle data tothat stationary transceiver.
 20. The system of claim 19 wherein saidvehicle data includes auxiliary data in addition to the exhaust emissionparameters.
 21. The system of claim 14 wherein said network connectioncomprises at least one chosen from a high speed installed connection, awireless connection and a satellite connection.
 22. The system of claim13 wherein said control is programmable through said vehicle transceiverwith code received from said stationary transceivers.
 23. The system ofclaim 13 wherein said communication network tracks the geographiclocation of said vehicle unit.
 24. The system of claim 13 wherein saidcommunication network includes cameras with said stationary transceiversoperable to capture images of vehicles communicating exhaust emissiondata.
 25. A method of inspecting a vehicle, comprising: providing avehicle unit comprising a vehicle wireless transceiver and a memory;storing in said memory vehicle data including exhaust emissionparameters from a vehicle diagnostic system; providing a communicationnetwork for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle unit, saidcommunication network made up of a plurality of geographically dispersedgenerally stationary wireless communication transceivers; activatingsaid vehicle wireless communication transceiver with one of saidstationary transceivers when said vehicle wireless communicationtransceiver is in a vicinity of that stationary transceiver tocommunicate the stored vehicle data to that stationary transceiver. 26.The method of claim 25 including providing a network connection at saidstationary wireless communication transceivers with a wide area network;and retrieving vehicle data from said stationary wireless communicationtransceivers with said wide area network and providing access to theretrieved vehicle data at locations remote from said stationarytransceivers.
 27. The method of claim 26 including providing a hostcomputer system on said wide area network for receiving data from saidstationary transceivers and a database for storing historical vehicledata from said vehicle unit with said database.
 28. The method of claim27 including comparing current vehicle data with historical vehicle datato determine if the vehicle is operating outside of normal operation.29. The method of claim 27 including providing access by environmentalauthority to said database for compliance verification.
 30. The methodof claim 27 including providing access by a vehicle owner to saiddatabase for vehicle performance monitoring.
 31. The method of claim 25including providing a unique vehicle identification code andtransmitting said identification code with the vehicle data.
 32. Themethod of claim 31 wherein said vehicle data includes auxiliary data inaddition to the exhaust emission.
 33. The method of claim 26 whereinsaid network connection comprises at least one chosen from a high speedinstalled connection, a wireless connection and a satellite connection.34. The method of claim 25 including programming said vehicle unitthrough said vehicle transceiver with code received from said stationarytransceivers.
 35. The method of claim 25 including tracking thegeographic location of said vehicle unit with said communicationnetwork.
 36. The method of claim 25 including providing cameras withsaid stationary transceivers and capturing images with said cameras ofvehicles communicating exhaust emission data.
 37. A method of inspectinga vehicle, comprising: providing a vehicle unit comprising an adapterand a vehicle wireless transceiver; connecting said vehicle unit with adiagnostic port of a vehicle diagnostic system and receiving vehicledata including exhaust emission parameters with said vehicle unit;storing vehicle data from the vehicle diagnostic port; providing acommunication network for two-way wireless communication with saidvehicle unit, said communication network made up of a plurality ofgeographically dispersed generally stationary wireless communicationtransceivers; and communicating the stored exhaust emission data to thatstationary transceiver in a vicinity of that vehicle unit.
 38. Themethod of claim 37 including providing a network connection at saidstationary wireless communication transceivers with a wide area network;and retrieving vehicle data from said stationary wireless communicationtransceivers and with said wide area network and providing access to theretrieved vehicle data at locations remote from said stationarytransceivers.
 39. The method of claim 38 including providing a hostcomputer system on said wide area network for receiving data from saidstationary transceivers and a database for storing historical vehicledata from said vehicle unit with said database.
 40. The method of claim39 including comparing current vehicle data with historical vehicle datato determine if the vehicle is operating outside of normal operation.41. The method of claim 39 including providing access by environmentalauthority to said database for compliance verification.
 42. The methodof claim 39 including providing access by a vehicle owner to saiddatabase for vehicle performance monitoring.
 43. The method of claim 37including providing a unique vehicle identification code andtransmitting said identification code with the vehicle data.
 44. Themethod of claim 43 wherein said vehicle data includes auxiliary data inaddition to the exhaust emission.
 45. The method of claim 38 whereinsaid network connection comprises at least one chosen from a high speedinstalled connection, a wireless connection and a satellite connection.46. The method of claim 37 including programming said vehicle unitthrough said vehicle transceiver with code received from said stationarytransceivers.
 47. The method of claim 37 including tracking thegeographic location of said vehicle unit with said communicationnetwork.
 48. The method of claim 37 including providing cameras withsaid stationary transceivers and capturing images with said cameras ofvehicles communicating exhaust emission data.
 49. A vehicle diagnosingand maintenance system, comprising: a vehicle unit comprising a vehiclewireless communication transceiver and a control for controlling saidwireless communication transceiver, said control including memory forstoring vehicle data including exhaust emission parameters from avehicle diagnostic system; and a communication network for two-waywireless communication with said vehicle unit, said communicationnetwork made up of a plurality of geographically dispersed generallystationary wireless communication transceivers, wherein said vehiclewireless communication transceiver communicates vehicle data in saidmemory to a stationary transceiver in a vicinity of that said vehicleunit; said communication network automatically determining if thevehicle data is out of specification and automatically notifying avehicle owner thereof.
 50. A method of inspecting a vehicle, comprising:providing a vehicle unit comprising a vehicle wireless transceiver and amemory; storing in said memory vehicle data including exhaust emissionparameters from a vehicle diagnostic system; providing a communicationnetwork for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle unit, saidcommunication network made up of a plurality of geographically dispersedgenerally stationary wireless communication transceivers; communicatingthe stored exhaust emission data to that stationary transceiver in avicinity of that vehicle unit; and automatically determining with saidcommunication network if the vehicle data is out of specification andautomatically notifying with said communication network a vehicle ownerthereof.